Monthly Archives: February 2017

One of the newest jean trends for the season is the ankle jean. I know, you are probably thinking, “I just figured out what a boyfriend jean is. Now I’m supposed to wear an ankle jean?” When I go to market, I am educated by my manufacturers about the latest trends and styles. I, in turn, pass that on to you. Don’t feel dismayed, we are ALL running to catch up when it comes to keeping up with trends.

An ankle jean is just an ankle pant in denim fabric. Ankle pants have been popular for several seasons now, but the right length is critical to pulling off this trend. An ankle pant should hit you an inch above your ankle bone. Any higher, and you have a capris. Any lower, and you have a pant that looks too short. I have found that ankle pants work better if you wear a wedge sandal. The heel and elongation of your leg, makes the length work. They also look really cute with a gladiator style wedge because those come up on the ankle, working in tandem with the jean to show off the style.

Different from the boyfriend jean, the ankle jean is meant to be worn uncuffed. In the pictures above, you can see a skinny (far left), a mini boot (middle) and an ankle (far right). Notice the shorter length of the ankle jean. In all fairness, this jean should be a 1/2 inch higher on this mannequin, but she isn’t quite tall enough to have the inseam fall just perfectly. This means that when you are buying an ankle jean, you need to be very picky about the inseam and where it hits you. If you are 5’3 and under, you will need a petite ankle jean to get the right length.

This style is a great summer option that looks wonderful paired with fuller tops and tunic length blouses. The ankle length is trendier than the capris length (mid calf) in pants right now, so choose this new length if you want to update your wardrobe. Best yet, this new trend is ageless and can be worn fashionably by a 20 something or a 60 something. Fashion Crossroads has just reeived new ankle length jeans from Silver Jeans and also from Jag jeans. Happy shopping!

The mini-dress trend is still in full swing. Let’s be honest, only a fraction of us can wear a dress this short. If we still have the legs to pull it off, we might not have the nerve. If we have the nerve, we might not have the legs. No worries! There are still ways you can wear a mini dress and make it age appropriate.

The first, and most obvious solution, is to pair a mini dress with leggings. The blue and white striped dress on the left would look fabulous, for example, paired with navy blue or even denim leggings. The taupe plaid dress on the right, would look great with a soft grey. Add a cute pair of sketchers, boat shoes, or converse tennis shoes, and you have a casual style that will work great for your weekend adventures.

Mini dresses that are fuller on the bottom due to an a-line cut, like the one on the left, can also be worn over denim capris as long as they are a slim legged style that fit similar to a legging. Remember, with a long, over-sized top, you must balance the fullness of the top with a slim leg so you don’t look boxy. Pair this look with a wedge sandal and a colorful handbag for a punch of color.

Blouse mini dresses, like the one on the right, can be worn with boyfriend jeans that are cuffed at the bottom. I’m particularly fond of this look paired with trendy tennis shoes and a vintage wash denim boyfriend jean. Add a cute scarf loosely slung around the neck and a great tote for a day out shopping or on the town.

So, just because you can’t see yourself pulling off the mini dress, doesn’t mean you have to avoid buying them. With a little bit of imagination, you can make this style work for any age or body type! By the way, in case you want to try out the outfit suggestions in this blog, you can buy these two mini-dresses on our online store.